News

Global Screen sells RICHARD THE STORK to GRINDSTONE ENTERTAINMENT for North America

May 17th, 2017

Grindstone Entertainment has acquired all rights for North America on Global Screen’s most prolific current 3D animation RICHARD THE STORK. Under the title A STORK’S JOURNEY, the charming adventure will be released by Lionsgate in cooperation with Google Play US. The theatrical roll-out is set for June 30th in 10 markets, day & date. The film sees Richard - a sparrow – growing up with a stork family, convinced he is a stork himself; problems arise when the storks, as migratory birds, leave for Africa to spend the winter. He wants to go, too, and starts hitchhiking through Europe, by bus, train and boat, joined by an eccentric owl with an imaginary friend and a narcissistic, disco-singing parakeet, to prove to his stork family that he's a stork. For the release in North America, the lead voice roles have been cast with actor-singer Drake Bell (“Ultimate Spider-Man”), Jane Lynch (“Glee”, “Wreck-it Ralph”) while Youtube star Justine Ezarik (ijustine) will guest star as a netaholic pigeon sidekick. The deal was negotiated between Grindstone’s Stan Wertlieb and Jennifer Modglin and Global Screen’s Klaus Rasmussen and Alexandra Streichfuss. “We are thrilled to team up with Grindstone to bring this outstanding and highly entertaining birds-road-movie to the US audiences this June. We are convinced that youngsters will cheer with joy and parents will appreciate the eclectic subplots and sidekicks,” says Klaus Rasmussen, Senior Theatrical Sales Manager at Global Screen. ”With Icon Film Distribution having picked up the film for UK, Paradis Films for France, M2 Pictures for Italy, and Spire Media for China etc. we are sold out world-wide now on RICHARD THE STORK.” RICHARD THE STORK is produced by Knudsen & Streuber Medienmanufaktur, Kristine M. I. Knudsen, and Ulysses Filmproduktion, Emely Christians, whose previous animation movies “Ooops! Noah is Gone…” and “Niko” also sold-out worldwide. RICHARD THE STORK is directed by Toby Genkel and co-directed and written by Reza Memari. It is co-produced by Walking the Dog/Eric Goossens, Melusiné Productions/Stéphan Roelants and Den Siste Skilling. It premiered at the Berlin Film Festival/Generation and TIFF Kids and will screen also at Festival d’Annecy.